Assignment 7: Philosophical Significance of the Special Theory of
Relativity

1. Which, if any, do you find most
convincing? If you answer "none of the above," Propose an alternative.

2. In your own words, give a clear a
statement of the moral.

3. State clearly the argument in
favor of the moral.

For discussion in the recitation

A. At its simplest, Einstein's
special theory of relativity is just one of many physical theories. Yet there
is a widespread belief that Einstein's achievement with the special theory of
relativity has a significance that goes beyond the simple physical content of
the theory. Why do you think this belief arose? Is it that his theory brought
down the apparently unassailable empire of classical physics? Or is it that
his theory deals with such fundamental notions as space, time and energy in a
strikingly novel way? Or is it something else again?